TonTon and I fed the cows, sheep and the useless, non-egg laying, bad tempered, locked up forever in their own little minds chickens, this morning, in a lovely crisp 26F (-5C). One day I shall show you the particularly sexy quilted farm overalls that I don for the job. But not until I know you better.
I had to go and find my sharp garden hoe to bash through the ice in the water troughs. Of course the garden hose is now officially frozen solid and later today I shall put it away for the winter, and then my darlings we are CARRYING buckets of warm water to the animals each morning and evening. One day the barn will have its own water line, but not yet. However as I have told you before this is a tremendous workout for my arms. When I was little my dad used to say to me “And the muscles on her scrawny arms stood out like spiders knees!” It was not kind. He always said it is a Scottish accent. The ‘out’ was an ‘oot’. I have real muscles now Dad!
Also today I will scrub, fill, then plug in all the heated water buckets. Each pen in the barn has one, the chook house has one, even the dogs and cats have one. As an aside the pens in the barn all still have their exterior doors open, so the animals are wandering in and out from their home paddocks, at will.
Food first though I think. I bet that when you were little you thought a sand witch was at the beach. So did I. Every time I heard the word I SAW a Witch made of Sand. A SandWitch on the beach. I still see her with my little girl’s mind’ s eye. She is not pretty. And how does one Toast her?
What is that hunk of old junk doing sitting beside the ham, I hear you say. It is a very old castiron hand iron of course. It is part of my toasted sandwich arsenal. Though some time ago it lost its detachable handle. I know it is around here somewhere. But where?! You see, old irons are not only good as door stops (or toe stoppers as the case may be… ouch), they are useful in the kitchen too!
The fire is hot in the wood stove, the stove top is ready for cooking. So we will compile our ham and cheese toasted sandwich. Just a yellow rubber cheddar today – someone needs to go shopping! Often in NZ the sandwich is called a sammy, and the cheese will not be dyed yellow, just keep that in mind in case you visit.
And on with the hot iron. These came before panini machines you know! Where is that handle? (sigh) It would be very useful at this rather heated juncture.
There. Ham and cheese toasted sammie with onion. Crunchy and squashed. Just the way I like it!! It is not gourmet my darlings. It is lunch!
OK, interlude is over, it is warmer outside now. Beautiful sun today. Time to fill the buckets and get to work.
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
93 responses to “Toasted Sand Witches”
Celi – you truly are a country girl. Not only do you have the work that goes with country living, but you have the beautiful country soul, as well.
Now fess up. Do you do what we used to do? Heat up a few of those old irons on the wood stove and put them between the sheets to warm the winter bed?
WEl, now that I know that I can do that I am seriously considering it. We only directly heat the living area with a fire, the bedroom gets a bit cold, I will let you know how it goes, I won’t set the bed on fire will I? Sp crazy! c
Grab them from the stove top before they turn colour. If they’re white, you’ll know you’re up too late! 😀
You might not think your lunch was a gourmet one, but to me, anything that takes pulling out a pan to make lunch is preparing a gourmet feast! I always reach for left-over of any kind: the thought of cooking something send shivers….
Ronnie
Hi Ronnie, I am so glad to hear that you love left overs, Though i think I can give you a run for your money, I am the Fry Up Queen!! i will fry anything the next day!! Though to have left overs one must cook at some point.. celi
That pressed sandwich looks so delicious right now!
Hi Yummy, I can eat them every day.. c
“What’s an iron” my darling little kids would say… Love your pre-panini invention and your day… omg no wonder you don’t nap, you couldn’t. Got to go lay down, I’m feeling feverish and tired after reading about all that work;)
Aren’t we spoilt now, I just hang everything up, and learn to love the wrinkles! My mother would NEVER have stepped out the door in wrinkly clothes.. c
We are spoilt and that means our children shall be even more spoilt… that’s how it goes I guess. They’ll remember the good old days when we had to wash our clothes…
I would be so grateful not to have to wash clothes! c
I go weak in the knees for toasted sandwiches, they’re one of the few things I make. And they’re turn out to be edible, too! I’ll have to try your recipe — the onions look wonderful.
Those onions were hooked out of the pan where the others were caramelising, just because they looked pretty, I am still in my caramelised onion period!! c
It looks like a perfect meal on a cold winter’s day! My big tip is to use leather welding gloves as oven mitts – they’d work well for manoeuvring that iron as well!
Good idea, I used to have a pair of welding gloves too, I might have to invest in another pair, great tip!
Good Morning dear Cecilia, for a few days I visit and read your posts lately… But I feel always something missed in my day. 🙂 This morning I feel better myself, and it is so good to read you. You almost took me into your wonderful farm life… I feel myself like Tonton 🙂 following you… How amazing this toast. I haven’t known/heard this iron for toast… What a great idea. I imagine now, I am there and dear Cecilia prepares for me too, a delicious toast and with a cup of tea… But wait, not finished yet, (I try to catch you in the garden maybe I can help you to fill the buckets too!)
Thank you dear Cecilia, how much I love you and your posts, Blessing and Happiness, The sun be with you always, with my love, nia
Morning Nia. Always lovely to see your name in the box. I hope you have a great day stalking more cats for us! c
Now that there is one might fine “sarmie” as we call it – scrumptious!
🙂 Mandy
Hi Mandy, hope you are having fun, what is cooking in your kitchen today? I will pop in later for a look.. c
I think this pressed sandwich looks very gourmet! Niow, I want to digg in right away!
MMMMMMM,…!
I just added your blog to my list of Food bloggers that I totally digg!Superb pics too! 😉
Thank you, and this reminds me that I really need to update my blog roll and other bits and piece on my page, it is like housekeeping though, I have to be in the mood!! c
We’re not quite down to -5 here just yet but I’m totally with you on the smashing of water barrels to give the donkeys water! Last year it went down to -15 at night and our toilet froze…..yikes!!! Here they call a sandwich a ‘sambo’ but somehow I don’t think that sounds at all right..right?
ha ha ha not terribly politically correct but you are talking about a whitebread sandwich!! .. But worse your TOILET froze! EEKK! hope you did not freeze TO the toilet.. owee.. c
I have to tell you that that is amongst the best, or probably is THE best, toasted sandwich that I have ever seen. The hardware is from a nightmare, but shit, it works. Living in France I have yet to eat a proper, or as I imagine proper should be, croque monsieur. My guess is that you should start exporting flatirons to France. Just love the pictures.
Thanks Roger, I just love crunchy food! and yup my hardware IS a nightmare, isn’t it grand!! c
‘Sangers’ in Australia.
Remember to remove the cheese before ironing.
Sangers Annie! Great! c
Thats a great way of preparing a sammy, I love the crunchy part of it! I will try this tomorrow for brekkie.
Great ray, it will be a perfect breakfast! c
Oh good heavens, look at that sandwich – or ‘sarmie’ as we call them here in SA 🙂
5 deg C…ouch. It reached 41 deg C here this week….would you like some heat? shall I send it to you??